Islamabad

After Pakistan’s tumultuous elections concluded with PML-N and PPP claiming top positions, the cash-strapped country is now all set to get a new cabinet. The newly crowned Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif will take oath on Tuesday (Mar 12) after 19 ministers of his cabinet were sworn in on Monday.

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Meanwhile, Asif Ali Zardari from PPP, who became the president for the second time, is making strides towards setting a new precedent by naming his daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari as the First Lady of Pakistan. 

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This will be a new first for Pakistan, weeks after Maryam Nawaz Sharif became the first-ever female Chief Minister of a Pakistan state (Punjab).

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Though there has been no official announcement on Aseefa yet, local media is speculating about it, and the official X account of PPP has already started referring to Aseefa using the title.

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Before it is made official, here is everything you need to know about the probable First Lady of Pakistan, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. 

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Who is Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the youngest in family set to take charge as first lady?

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari is the daughter of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007.

Born in February 1993, Aseefa is the youngest child of Asif Ali Zardari.  

Aseefa pursued her education at prestigious institutions, just like any other son and daughter of an influential Pakistani political leader. She studied at Oxford Brookes University, University College of London and the University of Edinburgh.

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She was first seen in the public eye when she made a debut speech at a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) rally. Previously, she also served as Pakistan’s Ambassador for polio eradication. 

Generally, the first lady is the wife of the president or the leader of the state, but as per Merriam-Webster, first lady is an umbrella term for someone who is not the wife or female partner of a state’s chief executive but someone who fulfils the public duties of a First Lady.

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Asif Ali Zardari, also the co-chairperson of PPP, was sworn in as the 14th President of Pakistan on Sunday. He is the only civilian candidate to have been elected as head of state for a second time, excluding the military heads. Before this, he served as Pakistan's President from 2008 to 2013.

In the absence of Asif’s wife, the position of the first lady in Pakistan has been vacant until now, and local media is speculating that Aseefa might take up this role. 

(With inputs from agencies)